Atheists claim that Genesis is not unique, but merely borrowed pagan mythology.

This is based on the opinions of theological liberals who find parallels between the Genesis creation story and pagan creation myths like the Babylonian Enuma Elish.

The Enuma Elish was discovered in the 19th century as part of an archeological dig in the ancient city of Nineveh, where it was found recorded on clay tablets.

This written account of the Enuma Elish predates the earliest written account of Genesis*.

Together, the timing and the parallels lead some theologically liberal scholars to conclude that Genesis is not unique, but a plagiarism of pagan myth.

The Parallels

Themes of darkness and chaos preceding order

Appearance of light before the Sun, the Moon, and the stars

Development of the world progressing in stages that culminates in the appearance of humankind

God/gods resting once the work is complete.

The Differences

Genesis claims:

The universe was created from absolute nothing

Only God existed prior to the creation of the universe

There is only one God

God is greater than and transcends the universe

Humans are deliberate creations made in the image of their Creator.

Babylonian claims:

The universe is eternal; the world was made from pre-existing matter

Personified natural forces (gods) existed prior to the making of the world

There are many gods

The gods inhabit the universe; the main god (Marduk) is located in the city of Babylon

Humans are incidental creations, made from the blood of the slain monster Kingu.

Genesis narrative style:

God-centered

Not interested in human personalities

Generally flat in tone

Austere in prose

Thirty-one verses in length.

Babylonian narrative style:

Decidedly not God-centered

Focused on the passions of the warring gods

Animated in tone

Extravagant in prose

Nine hundred lines in length.

The Conclusion

There are parallels between Genesis and pagan creation myths such as the Babylonian Enuma Elish, but the differences are far greater. The key difference, which cannot be overstated, is the Genesis claim that God is the sovereign creator of the universe, from which all other things are made. No pagan myth makes this claim. Furthermore, the Genesis claim of a universe created from nothing is alone among all creation stories as being consistent with modern science. Genesis is therefore unique.

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What our name means

The ancient biblical scholar Nahmanides said that the six days of creation (Genesis 1) contain “all the secrets and ages of the universe.” In other words, Nahmanides was claiming Genesis 1 as a work of scientific literature. “SixDay Science” is a reference to how developments in modern scientific fields like relativity, cosmology, and particle physics are supporting this claim.

Our Goal

To promote and preserve the integrity of modern science while exploring the harmony between science and the Christian faith.

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